A/N: I do not own The Fantastic Four or any of it's characters. Though I wouldn't mind own Reed--or Ioan for that matter! Who agrees with me? (silence) Okay...anyway, all I own is Gabrielle.

Hiding in the Shadow: Yes, Gabrielle has moved onto killing people now. The last chapter was only the beginning!

Dramafool: Yay! I get Fantastic Four Ioan! (does the happy dance) You can have either Lancelot or Horatio, but I'd go with Horatio since he's not a womanizing lech like Lancelot. Thanx again!

pxleno52: Gabrielle will only get scarier. Run and hide for your life...after you read and review. XD

TheTorch: Gabrielle's darker side will only continue to show, especially in this chapter. She just killed the couple in the last chapter because she could and it's her job as the villian to kill the innocent people. Glad you approve of how this is turning out!

ChrisFan13: Very happy you liked the trailer, and Gabrielle and Victor's relationship. I will certainly review you fic!

Adaia Swordmaiden: Matriarch actually means . I thought it fit pretty well given her personality and such.

Also, thanx to Xdaisy chainX, scja and warrior of the shadow!

Chapter 8: Back in the World

Battered, bloodied, and clutching her stolen coat around her chest, Gabrielle reentered her apartment. She was the malevolent antidote to her poignantly pleasant early evening and previous life self. (A/N: Did I lose you with all those words? XD) She slammed the door shut and auto piloted to the sink and turned the broken faucet on over her bloody finger. She hadn't even noticed the blood before. No water came out of the sink though. She didn't seem to care; she just stared in unmoving, but torrid self-contemplation.

Gabrielle's slow pants exploded into vivid montage as she attacked everything again with brilliant nimbleness. She flung her childhood pictures off the wall, all but the ones of her with Victor. Set up on her kitchen nook table, she made a mini bonfire and threw everything that disgusted her into it. Those disgusting things were just about everything without Victor. Lustily, she ripped a stuffed bear to pieces and threw it into the fire as well. The carnage of other cute objects were spread about, ruined and completely destroyed. Lucifer raced about, purring in delight.

Gabrielle calmly stalked into her room, her posture straighter with an air that reaked of Victor. Tossing the coat onto her mess of abed, she ravaged underneath her bed until she found her old sewing kit. She carried it over to her desk, pushing the papers of Von Doom Corp. wildly onto the floor. With a slam, she set it on her desk and pulled out a sewing needle. She repeatedly stabbed the bright clothes of her closet, annihilating the micro-detailed stitiches.

After stabbing her clothes to hell, she actually found some things she liked. Pulling out the few things she liked, she prepped her dewing machine, long since out of commision. She went to work, her wings calmly flapping and scary Lucifer out of the room he once peacefully slept in.

As the sun rose through the window, Gabrielle sat Indian style on her deshevled bed of her very redone apartment. She wore an outfit which was similar to the Fantastic Four, only she doned a small mask and her wings craned easily out of the back. The strange thing was that no matter how bad she felt, she looked like an angel clad in white and gray.

"I don't know about you, Lucifer, but I feel so much yummier." She said with a sultry voice which was not her own, while passing a pristine bowl of water to her content cat with her booted foot. "Time to play."

(A/N: That line sound familiar? It should, and I couldn't help using it. If anyone knows, you get more brownie points.)

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Sue walked aimlessly about the lab, cleaning up the little bit that she could. Reed had, once again, pulled an all nighter and she had to get Ben to carry him off to bed. She loved the man, she honestly did, but he could really drive her crazy with working overtime. After all, his home was where he worked. If Johnny could ever teach Reed one thing, it was how to take a break. With one last look at the lab, she turned off the lights and headed for the door.

"Hello, Sue." Whipping around at the smug voice, Sue just made out the form at the window.

"Gabbie?" She gasped, shocked, starting to feel her body quiver. Gabrielle, coat tied tightly around her new outfit, nodded as she walked toward Sue with a rueful smirk.

"Miss me?" Sue didn't even have a chance to react as Gabrielle backhanded her with her fist, sending her across the room. "What's the matter, Susie? I thought you'd be happy to see, what with our little reconciliation on the bridge." Sue struggled to her feet, her back now aching from the wall she'd hit.

"This isn't possible." She breathed, trying to wrap her mind around the situation. "You died! I-I saw you fall. Your body went to the Morgue."

"Yeah, but I'm over that whole "Being Dead" phase. I think its helped me grow as a person." Her steps became faster as she clamped her hand around Sue's throat and threw her across the room, sending her sliding off of Reed observation table and onto the floor.

Sue gasped, her chest heaving as she pushed herself to her knees. She was beyond confused now; what the hell was going on? Was this person beating on her really Gabrielle? Gabbie? Before she could even finish getting to her feet, Gabrielle sent a swift kick to her ribs and the lab doors burst open. Gabrielle backed away from Sue, while Reed and Johnny helped Sue to her feet. Reed had been half asleep until Ben said he heard a fight going on, then realized Sue was missing.

"I don't want to hurt you." Sue told Gabrielle breathlessly, leaning on her lover for support with Johnny on her left.

"Funny, I want to kill you." Her mocking voice had left as she became serious, glaring at the foursome.

"Have to get through us to do it, short stuff!" Ben anounced, stepping up next to Reed and punding his fists together.

"Okay!" She replied, a little too excited for any of them to like. She reached down and untied her coat and let it slid off her arms and onto the floor. The others watched in awe as the wings stretched up towards the ceiling, then falling lazily at Gabrielle's feet.

"Huh!" Johnny said, shocked yet impressed as he looked at the wings. Ben could've smacked him right then and there for his remark, but he was preoccupied with the latest development.

"What happened to you, Gabrielle? Who did this?" Reed questioned, truly concerned. No matter how much he hated Victor, or her for hurting Sue he still felt he needed to help her. After all, this just wasn't normal!

"You know how everyone comes to a certain point in their life when they have an...a epiphany? A revelation? Well, this is nothing like that. Sorry if that doesn't help your analysis, professor."

"Gabbie, please, let us help you." Sue begged, making Gabrielle scowl at her even more.

"Help her? She just beat you up, Susie! I say we clip her wings right here, right now." Ben announced, pounding his fists yet again as he moved to step forward. The only thing that stopped him was Reed's arm.

"You could try, but you wouldn't even make it to me." She commented to the Thing.

"Oh, really?" He asked, offended, and took a step towards her.

Just as he was about to take the second step, she raised her hand and shot him with the lightning. Ben flew back and the men ran to him, stunned by the second development. Sue tried to run to Ben's aid, but Gabrielle rushed up and grabbed her by her throat, pulling her back from the others.

"Sue!" Johnny moved from Ben to Reed, holding the older man back. Gabrielle laughed at the sight, one hand still around Sue's throat tightly. This was the Jake fiasco all over again.

"Oh, he's fiesty!" She commented, looking straight at Reed with a smile. Looking back at Sue, she frowned and became serious. "And I'll kill him. And I'll kill your brother. I'll even kill Pebbles over there. I'll kill everyone that gives a damn to you, so you can finally now what's it like on the bottom."

"I-I...I'm s-s-sor..." Gabrielle, rolled her eyes at Sue's lame apology and released her. Sue massaged her throat while coughing, believing the danger had passed, but Gabrielle grabbed her face, pulling her close.

"Stick around, Susie, the fun's just beginning." After kissing Sue's lips forcefully, Gabrielle pushed her straight into Reed and Johnny. This little stunt created a domino effect, sending the three of them to the floor.

"Victor failed; you will, too!" Johnny shouted to Gabrielle's retreating back. Hearing this, she turned her head slightly to look at him. "We'll get you, Gabrielle."

"Name's Matriarch. Catch me if you can." Johnny rose to his feet to lunge at her, but his companions held him back this time. All of them watched helplessly as Gabrielle ran to the big window and jumped through it, flying off into the night, wondering what the hell just happened.